There are so many paths leading to the same place. Just because it’s not “your” path doesn’t mean someone else is lost. Just love each other, as much for the differences as for the similarities. There is much to be learned.
I hate when people are surprised that you’d get offended about religion. “It’s just your beliefs!” Yes, and that why it’s so important. If there’s one thing a religious person should get upset about it’s religion, because you’re making a non-negotiable statement about the nature of the universe.
“Our time is anomalous in the whole of human history going back to the beginnings of recorded history – everybody has been religious – 99% of the human race has been religious for all these centuries. For the first time really in recorded history we have large segments of the population in the West that are not religious, not interested in God. And again my point is that’s not just a theoretical interest, that’s of enormous practical, psychological and spiritual interest because the denial of God, the denial of the transcendent, does great damage to the human heart. As Augustine said long ago the heart is restless till it rests in God because we’re wired for God.
[…] Aquinas says it can only be goodness itself or the infinite good that can satisfy the infinite longing of a human heart. It’s only in God that our souls are at rest as the Bible saw so clearly. My point here is when religion fades, when religion evanesces, religion becomes weak in the wider society, these great truths are no longer communicated.
… The soul can’t soar. When religion is silenced then the deepest longing of a heart is not awakened, it’s not named, it’s not called forth which is why the whole society suffers enormously from the loss of God.”
some of y’all: science has more evidencial support than religion, and it is the more reliable and believable truth. in the ancient contest between empiricial science and religion, modern achievements have declared science as more accurate and the better source of truth.
the truth: Scientific empiricism and religion aim to understand different kinds of truths, and they have never truly been at odds. Science gives the mechanical explanation of the world. Religion gives a philosophical explanation. Both are inexorably intertwined, but each have their own realm of study. In the last 3000 years, men of science have typically also been men of religion. Much of modern science today relies upon the accomplishments and theories of men who were religious. Further, if you devote serious time to the study of either the sciences OR religions and philosophy, you will discover that there are very few discrepancies and they actually correspond to one another. The real problem comes when science attempts to make a philosophical observation, or when religion attempts to make a mechanical observation. Religion’s role is not to explain how clouds form, how cells function, or how light travels. Science’s role is not to explain the meaning of life, whether or not God exists, and what morality is. All in all, each are good and legitimate areas of study.
Wide Spread Interests 